BELLARMINE/FGCU PREVIEW

Fort Myers, FL- FGCU (19-3, 7-1 ASUN) remains home to face Bellarmine University (7-14, 3-5 ASUN), Saturday night at 7 PM, from Alico Arena.

Stats (BU):

Bellarmine averages 60.8 ppg, shoot 39.0% (466/1194) from the field, and 24.6% (67/272) from beyond the arc. The Knights average 41.0 team rebounds per game. Bellarmine dishes out 12.8 assists, 7.0 steals, and 5.0 blocks per game. The Knights average 21.5 team turnovers per game.

Stats (FGCU):

FGCU averages 77.4 ppg, shoot 46.7% (617/1320) from the field, and 36.2% (246/679) from beyond the arc. The Eagles average 33.5 team rebounds per game. FGCU dishes out 17.0 assists, 8.7 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game. The Eagles average 13.0 team turnovers per game.

3 Players To Watch For (BU):

6’6 FR C Gracie Merkle 16.0 ppg, 11.2 rpg

-Rated as No. 2 player in Kentucky for Class of 2022 by Prep Girls Hoops Kentucky and as No. 2 regionally in 2021 by the Rick Bolus High Potential Blue Chip Recruiting Service

-Played high school basketball at Bullitt East in Kentucky and joined program’s 1,000-point and 500-rebound clubs

-Was a 2022 Kentucky Miss Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year candidate after averaging 18.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game as a Senior

5’10 R-SO G Hayley Harrison 10.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg

While at UT-Martin:

-Played first three college seasons at UT Martin, taking a medical redshirt as a freshman in 2019-2020

-In the two healthy seasons, played in a total of 49 games and earned multiple Athletic Director’s Honor Roll notices

-In 25 games as a sophomore, including 12 starts, averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 22.4 minutes per game while scoring in double figures four times

6’2 GR F Sheniqua Coatney 7.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg

As a Senior:

-Led team in rebounding (5.0) and blocked shots (21) while ranking third in field-goal percentage (44.7) and fourth in steals (23) and free-throw attempts (34)

-Appeared in 22 games with 12 starts and averaged 4.7 points

-ASUN Honor Roll recipient

3 Players To Watch For (FGCU):

5’3 5th G TK Morehouse 16.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg

5’8 R-JR G Alyza Winston 14.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg

6’0 5th G Sha Carter 11.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg

Overview:

FGCU finally gets to face freshman sensation 6’6 C Gracie Merkle, and as Bellarmine’s record of 7-14 doesn’t look like much on paper, stopping Merkle has been a problem for most teams in ASUN Conference play. Merkle, the Knights leading scorer, is averaging a double-double of 16.0 ppg, and 11.2 rpg, and was one of the top recruited players in Kentucky in high school as as Senior. She has earned three ASUN Conference Player of the Week awards, and six ASUN Freshman of the Week awards so far this season.

The Knights wins this season have come against St. Bonaventure, Simmons College of Kentucky, Evansville, Franklin College, EKU, UNF, and Jacksonville. Their setbacks have come against #16 LSU, IPFW, Kentucky, Cleveland State, Georgia State, Morehead State, Louisville, Wofford, Murray State, Jacksonville, UNA, Kennesaw State, EKU, and Stetson. Head Coach Chancellor Dugan, has led the program since 2012.

FGCU is led offensively by TK Morehouse, who is averaging 16.2 ppg. The depth of this team continues to impress everyone, and even against EKU, Morehouse was the 5th leading scorer in the game (10 point), which shows that any player in any game can lead the Eagles offensively. Expect FGCU to defeat Bellarmine, and potentially put Sha Carter on Merkle, and try to not let her dominate the Eagles in the paint. The Eagles will also have to limit Sheniqua Coatney, who is 6’2, and having a nice season offensively, averaging 7.4 ppg. Should be another great game from Alico Arena, Saturday night!